Posted By RichC on June 14, 2014
So far this spring, I’ve thwarted the building of nests on our front porch … but lost the battle on the rear (two robin nests). Each year in the spring I bring out the coffee cans in order to crowd out the birds who try to build their nests under the protection of the porch and eves. The colored cans usually work but this persistent nest builder refuses to give up. Day after day the robin hauls nest making material to the edge and attempts to get it to stick … but there just isn’t enough room.
Actually I’m starting to feel sorry for my feathered friend and have almost considered giving in and moving the coffee can … if for nothing else, keeping the pile on the porch from getting any larger! Although I don’t have the frustrated bird on video, I’ll include this 15 second clip for clarity.
Category: Nature, Video |
1 Comment »
Tags: birds, building, eggs, next, persistance, robin
Posted By RichC on June 13, 2014
It will soon be time to replace the battery in my iPhone 5, and rather than drive to the Apple store and pay them the $80 to do it, it might be worth spending a few dollars on a tool kit and a battery in order to replace it myself. Wish me luck.
Category: Apple, Archive, Cellphone, How-To, Photography, Video |
2 Comments »
Tags: battery, How-To, iphone5
Posted By RichC on June 12, 2014
It is getting easier and easier to stream a variety of content while driving from my iPhone using BT to my car radio nowadays … even in my older Mercedes 300D (to a newer radio). At one time SiriusXM was the way to get uninterrupted news 
and content while driving longer distances with limited Slingbox streaming, but since most interstates are well covered by cellphone data now (and Sprint offers unlimited data), streaming has been nearly 
flawless for me in Ohio (and actually not bad back and forth to Florida). My personal thought is that as a longterm investment idea, $SIRI isn’t looking that great.
CVS Caremark ($CVS) on the other hand while down almost 2% today closing at $75.98, has a much more promising long term model. Solid earnings and financials, seasoned business model and management, an aging population along with healthcare reform (Obamacare) that works in their favor should continue the profitable trend … at least that is what analysts like USAA’s John Toohey said on TheStreet.com. On a more personal observation, the CVS location in our area are busy and the customer service focus and efficiency measure being implemented are making a difference at the store level. Having more overall business is good news the retail drugstore industry even as they compete with each other, but particularly good news for those companies like CVS who seem to be rock steady in running their business.
* Full disclosure: I have a SiriusXM radio, Sprint cellphone contract (soon out of
contract and looking around) and my wife works for CVS
Category: Cellphone, Financial, Radio, Technology |
No Comments »
Tags: $CVS, $SIRI, finance, investing, stocks
Posted By RichC on June 12, 2014
I’ve got to admit, at first glimpse these banana peel Wet Floor Cones are a pretty innovative idea. It gets your attention, at least the first few time you see them.
I also needed a filler photo for the rest of the post and figured who doesn’t love a cute baby bunny photo … or as my buddy Jeff would say: Hasenpfeffer!
(Click photos for larger images)
Category: Misc, Photos |
No Comments »
Tags: banana, bunny, cone, cute, photo, Rabbit
Posted By RichC on June 11, 2014
Investors and pre-order buyers are still in the “wait” mode for the innovated water heater from Heatworks … but the CEO Jerry Callahan does a great job of keeping his Kickstarter investors informed.
That said, I’m looking forward to installing the Model 1 later this summer and will be updating the blog on how it works along with my honest opinion. So far, the project is being professionally managed and if even slightly successful, will no-doubt be picked up by a much larger company.
Here are a few photos from an email updating the testing of parts come together.
Category: Energy, Innovation, Marketing, Sailing |
No Comments »
Tags: heater, heatworks, kickstarter, water
Posted By RichC on June 11, 2014
When a distress call was made, I doubt the five sailors rescued expected to see this giant “boomer” pick them up … and proceed to tow their boat! — LINK
Category: Misc |
No Comments »
Tags:
Posted By RichC on June 10, 2014
Happy Birthday to my son Taylor … and since we can’t be with him this year, I did a little reminiscing after receiving DVDs from our Corbett Chronicles home videos (#Throwback Thursday Tuesday). In the past we’ve made an effort to celebrate “in person,” but Williston, North Dakota is just a little bit too far (maybe later this summer). I’ll include a recent photo (above) from a few weeks ago, with a little Photoshop tweaking).
I hope he received our birthday box of goodies by mail and will be able to celebrate the evening with his buddies … if not, here’s a good memory from when he was a few years younger running Grandpa Howard’s prized John Deere dozer in the woods (what boy wouldn’t like driving a bulldozer?)
Category: Archive, Personal, Photos, Video |
2 Comments »
Tags: birthday, dozer, farmhouse, grandpa, howard, photoshopped, taylor
Posted By RichC on June 9, 2014
Originally, Sunday afternoon was going to be spent outside power washing the the pool deck and patio furniture, but that had to change due a slow drizzling rain that lingered most of the day. 
It became a perfect day to tackle a long overdue project … the pool house changing room now that Pumpy Umpy is in his new hutch at Katelyn’s in Columbus (and soon to Minneapolis). The little fellow’s damage was substantial, but for my part, I didn’t stop him after the first few chews figuring it wasn’t worth banning him to his cage since the woodwork and drywall would need to be replaced anyway. So Sunday afternoon I started the project. It will be a small, but fun, project … besides the changing room, hallway and bathroom needed to be pained anyway. Life with pets!
My son sent me something on Sunday that made him smile (and me too).
On Saturday, Senator Tom Carper, serving as chairman for the Transportation and Infrastructure subcommittee for the US Senate Committee on Environment and Public Works, made a swing through Williston North Dakota and stopped by the Williams County Planning office where Taylor works. It was the weekend and Taylor wasn’t there, but according to Eric, “his newspaper reporter friend,” traveling with the senator, Carper enjoyed seeing the Ohio State Buckeye items hanging around Taylor’s office space. He then took a moment to write a “Go Bucks!” note on a business card and left it on Taylor’s computer keyboard. Nice touch Senator.
Category: Misc, Personal, Photos, Politics |
No Comments »
Tags: poolhouse, pumpy umpy, Rabbit, senator carper, taylor, williston
Posted By RichC on June 8, 2014
I was planning to just work on yard and home chores Saturday while Brenda was working, but got completely distracted by a thought that a 2 gallon fuel container would fit under the hood of the Mercedes Benz 300D Turbodiesel nicely. Hmm, looks like it might even work if I plumbed a secondary fuel line so as to be able to switch from one tank to the other? And yes, I’m way ahead of a few readers who may be contemplating a way to run filtered WVO (Waste Vegetable Oil) on a warm day. For now it works as a spare two gallons of biodiesel … but stay tuned.
As for getting back to those chores, I:
1) Power washed pool filter
2 Cut and trimmed the rear lawn
3) Sprayed, wacked and pulled weeds
4) Picked up a repair part at Ace and HD
5) Even cleaned the kitchen!
Category: Automotive, Biodiesel, Diesel, Mercedes |
No Comments »
Tags: 300d, fuel, hood, idea, mercedes, turbodiesel, W123, wvo
Posted By RichC on June 7, 2014
I’ve probably read every book the Pardey’s ever published as the information help me learn about cruising and our first boat and caring for a spruce mast and boom. 
They were, and are, inspirational when it comes to “go small, go simple and go now” philosophy even though it has been challenging to incorporated the cruising life into our family. In the early days, “pre-kids,” Brenda and I were starting our careers and trying to earn a living and start a business; unfortunately that prevented a vagabond, or more politely stated, liveaboard cruising lifestyle aboard our sailboat Brenich. Then came children, and our priorities changed. The focus shifted to suburban normalcy (for the good and bad) even though the yearning to cruise kept me dreaming, reading and planning the escape; Lin and Larry’s books (and videos) were a big part of that.
This summer I’m looking forward to reading Herb McCormick’s biographical book about the Pardey’s life called As Long As It’s Fun. I’m sure it will be the perfect follow-up to Lin’s reminiscing book Bull Canyon about their time pondering having a family, living in a California canyon, her writing and Larry’s unstoppable focus on building his next boat and getting back to the ocean. They have a magical life and deserve the slower pace on land, but are still by the water in New Zealand. Its always a thrill to have them come back to the states to visit and lectures during boatshow season.
Category: Books, Sailing |
No Comments »
Tags: mccormick, pardey, reading, sailing
So far this spring, I’ve thwarted the building of nests on our front porch … but lost the battle on the rear (two robin nests). Each year in the spring I bring out the coffee cans in order to crowd out the birds who try to build their nests under the protection of the porch and eves. The colored cans usually work but this persistent nest builder refuses to give up. Day after day the robin hauls nest making material to the edge and attempts to get it to stick … but there just isn’t enough room. 
